And finally when the King’s letter came, it was king size—both in affection and in appreciation!
King Charles III wrote a personal letter to India’s iconic social worker Bunker Roy, in the last week of March, almost regretting the gap of two years in remaining in touch. This is Charles’ first letter to Roy after taking over as the king of the United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms in 2022.
Responding to Mr. Roy’s letter of December 2024, King Charles wrote in his reply of March 23, 2025: It was great joy to receive your December letter… Your letter reminded me of all the years I have known and admired all your heroic efforts in Rajasthan…
Now, Bunker Roy, who founded the Barefoot College (Also known as the Social Work and Research Centre, Tilonia) in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district along with his equally illustrious wife, Aruna Roy, had seemingly almost given up on hearing again from the King who had been very pally with him as Prince Charles!
“This is from a friend to a friend,” Bunker Roy, now in Tilonia convalescing after Covid-19 and other ailments which followed. “This time the gap had been big,” Bunker Roy, a member of the former Planning Commission and Padmashri awardee, said conceding that Charles’ silence appeared unusual going by the past association.
The communication from King Charles, who is also a patron of the Barefoot College which caught the world’s imagination pioneering the concept of Barefoot—Barefoot solar engineers, Barefoot doctors, Barefoot teachers and the like– conceded the gap and attributed it to the changed life style and the time constraints of the person with a challenging assignment in hand. “…finally! I cannot imagine what happened to your earlier one (communication), but I fear I have been somewhat overwhelmed in the last two years”.
The King, as Prince Charles in the past, had visited Tilonia village in Kishengarh tehsil of Ajmer more than once. As Prince, King Charles’ itineraries in India in the past included a trip to Tilonia and a photo session with Bunker Roy. Perhaps making up for the gap this time the British king lavished praise on Bunker Roy who was a path breaker in developmental perspectives in the seventies and eighties at the global level.
“You have clearly become a phenomenon—in fact a ‘National Treasure’—and I am constantly singing your praises whenever I can, especially in Africa,” King Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in February 2024 and is presently undergoing treatment even while maintaining a full schedule of engagements, said. Only recently King Charles made a state visit to Italy to send a message across on the UK’s “soft power” and its interest in things abroad.
While King Charles did not indicate any immediate plans to visit India and Tilonia he invited Bunker Roy to meet him whenever he happens to be in the UK next. “There is much to discuss as I have many initiatives going on around the world and long for an opportunity to see you, if you ever come to the United Kingdom at any stage”.
“Yours most sincerely” signed off his letter with the words, “In the meantime I send you countless thoughts and kindest possible wishes”.
